© Prentice Hall, 2007 Excellence in Business Communication, 7eChapter 10 - 1 Planning Reports and...

© Prentice Hall, 2007 Excellence in Business Communication, 7e Chapter 10 - 1

Planning Planning Reports and Reports and ProposalsProposals


Basic Report CategoriesBasic Report Categories

• Informational reports

• Analytical reports

• Proposals


Applying the Applying the Three-Step ProcessThree-Step Process

• Analyze the situation

• Gather information

• Select the right medium

• Organize your information


Analyzing the SituationAnalyzing the Situation

• Define the purpose

• Prepare the work plan


Defining the PurposeDefining the Purpose

• Inform

• Persuade

• Recommend

• Confirm

• Analyze

• Summarize


Preparing the Work PlanPreparing the Work Plan

• Statement of the problem

• Statement of the purpose and scope

• Discussion of tasks to be accomplished

• Description of final products or outcomes

• Review of schedules and requirements

• Plans for following up

• Working outline


Gathering InformationGathering Information

• Purpose

• Audience

• Priorities


Selecting the MediumSelecting the Medium

• Hardcopy

• Digital format

• Multimedia


Organizing the Organizing the InformationInformation

• Direct approach• State conclusions and recommendations• Introduce findings• Include support

• Indirect approach• Introduce findings• Discuss support• State conclusions and recommendations


Using Outline HeadingsUsing Outline Headings

I. Industry Characteristics

A. Annual sales

B. Profitability

C. Growth rate

1. Sales

2. Profit

I. Flour milling is a mature industry.

A. Market is large

B. Profit margins are narrow

C. Growth is modest.

1. Sales growth less than 3%

2. Profit growth is flat.

Descriptive(Topical) Outline

Informative(Talking) Outline


Supporting Your Supporting Your MessagesMessages

• Plan your research

• Locate data and information

• Process data and information

• Apply your findings

• Manage information


Plan Your ResearchPlan Your Research

• Learn about the subject

• Identify information gaps

• Prioritize research needs


Ethics and Etiquette in Ethics and Etiquette in Business ResearchBusiness Research

• Don’t skew results

• Respect privacy of participants

• Document sources

• Respect intellectual property

• Don’t misquote


Data and InformationData and Information

• Secondary research

• Primary research


Purpose ofPurpose ofthe Materialthe Material

IndependentIndependentVerificationVerification

Logic andLogic andGood SenseGood Sense

Honesty andHonesty andReliabilityReliability

The AuthorThe Author

TimelinessTimeliness

PotentialPotentialBiasBias

Data CollectionData CollectionMethodsMethods

CompletenessCompleteness

Evaluating SourcesEvaluating Sources


Secondary ResearchSecondary Research

• A specific company

• An entire industry

• Statistics and trends

• Business issues


Finding Information Finding Information at the Libraryat the Library

BusinessBusinessBooksBooks

ElectronicElectronicDatabasesDatabases NewspapersNewspapers PeriodicalsPeriodicals

DirectoriesDirectories AlmanacsAlmanacs StatisticalStatisticalResourcesResources

GovernmentGovernmentPublicationsPublications


Internet Search ToolsInternet Search Tools

• Search engines

– Web directories

– Online databases

– Meta-search engines


Search TechniquesSearch Techniques

• Keywords

• Boolean operators

• Natural language

• Forms-based


Fine Tune Search Fine Tune Search

MethodsMethods• Read instructions

• Review your options

• Adjust search scope

• Understand details

• Vary search terms

• Employ search agents


Documenting Documenting SourcesSources

• Credit sources

• Build credibility

• Help your readers


Primary ResearchPrimary Research

• Administer surveys

• Conduct interviews


Survey QuestionsSurvey Questions

• Ask easy-to-analyze questions

• Avoid leading questions

• Ask one question at a time

• Pretest all questionnaires


Effective Internet Effective Internet

SurveysSurveys• Minimize cost

• Reach more people

• Boost response rate


Planning InterviewsPlanning Interviews

• Purpose

• Audience

• Main ideas

• Structure


Types of QuestionsTypes of Questions

• Close-ended

• Restatement

• Direct open-ended

• Open-ended


Processing Interview Processing Interview InformationInformation

• Write down your ideas

• Review notes

• Organize the material

• Transcribe recordings


Analyzing the DataAnalyzing the Data

• Mean, median, and mode

• Overall trends

• Cause and correlation

• Cross-tabulation


Processing Processing Data and InformationData and Information

• Quoting

• Paraphrasing

• Summarizing


Applying Your FindingsApplying Your Findings

• Drawing conclusions

• Making recommendations


Planning Planning Informational ReportsInformational Reports

• Monitor and control operations

• Implement policies and procedures

• Demonstrate compliance

• Report progress


Structuring Structuring Informational ReportsInformational Reports

• Comparison

• Importance

• Sequence

• Chronology

• Spatial orientation

• Geography

• category


Effective Effective Informational ReportsInformational Reports

• Audience-centered

• Logical

• Focused

• Easy-to-follow

• Concise

• Honest and objective


Planning Analytical Planning Analytical ReportsReports

• Assess opportunities

• Solve problems

• Support decisions


Challenges of Writing Challenges of Writing

Analytical ReportsAnalytical Reports• Quality of reasoning

• Clarity of writing

• Persuasive elements


Organizing Organizing Analytical ReportsAnalytical Reports

• Logical arguments

• Feasible recommendations

• Bottom-line conclusions


Focus on ConclusionsFocus on Conclusions

• Advantages– Ease of use– Bottom-line driven

• Disadvantages– Possible resistance– Oversimplification


Focus on Focus on RecommendationsRecommendations

1. Establish the need for action

2. Introduce benefits

3. List the steps

4. Explain each step

5. Summarize


Focus on Logical Focus on Logical ArgumentsArguments

• 2 + 2 = 4 approach

• Scientific method

• Yardstick approach


Planning Business Planning Business ProposalsProposals

• Internal

– Funding

– Management support

– General projects

• External

– Investments

– Grants

– Sales


Structuring ProposalsStructuring Proposals

• Solicited

– Direct approach

– Interested audience

• Unsolicited

– Indirect approach

– Uninterested audience

© Prentice Hall, 2007 Excellence in Business Communication, 7eChapter 10 - 1 Planning Reports and...

Documents

Transcript of © Prentice Hall, 2007 Excellence in Business Communication, 7eChapter 10 - 1 Planning Reports and...